Garment for stage effects.



A. L. MGMURTRY. GARMENT FOR STAGE EFFECTS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1911.

1,022,433. Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

STATES ATE GARMENT FOR STAGE EFFECTS.

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garments for StageEffects, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a garment to be worn by a dancer for producingnovel lighting effects, and its object is to provide a simple portableapparatus for this purpose.

I will describe my invention in the following specification and pointoutthe novel features thereof in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a stagedancer wearing a garment which is made according to my invention. Fig. 2is a wiring diagram showing a preferred arrangement of certainelectrical apparatus and circuits.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in both ofthe figures.

10 designates a short skirt of a usual form which is preferablyconstructed of some opaque textile material. The lower edge of thisskirt flares outwardly as shown at 11. Running horizontally around theinside of this skirt just above this flaring portion is a band 12 onwhich are supported several series of small incandescent electric lamps13, 141 and 15. This band may be placed at such a height as to supportthe lamps a slight distance above the dancers knees. The band 12 is alsoused to support certain electrical conductors which run to the lamps.

In Fig. 2, 20 designates a small storage battery which may be carriedupon the body of the dancer and concealed. This is for the purpose ofsupplying current for the lamps. If it is desired to supply the cur rentfrom an external source of supply the battery may be dispensed with andlight flexible wires connected as shown by the dotted lines at and 21 isa lead from the battery to a manually controlled switch 22 whichcomprises an arm which may be moved onto any one of three stationarycontacts 23, 24: and 25, or off from all of them.

A conductor 26 and branches running from it lead from the stationarycontact 23 to one of the terminals of each of the lamps in the series13, 13, etc. Another conductor 27 and its branches connect thestationary Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

Serial No. 625,443.

contact 24 with one side of each of the lamps 14, 142-; and a similarconductor 28 runs between the contact 25 and all of the lamps 15. 29 isa common return wire from the other side of every lamp to the battery20.

All the lamps in the series 13 are preferably of one color. For example,they may have clear glass bulbs. All the lamps in the series 14 are ofanother color such as red, and the lamps in the third series, 15, are ofstill another color, such as green. The switch 22 is to be placed Withineasy reach of the dancer who wears this garment. In Fig. 1 it is shownon her belt. All of the connections pointed out are to be concealewithin the skirt.

The operation of this device is obvious.

The dancer preferably wears white stockings and shoes, and can executethe movements of a dance in the usual manner. The stage lights may belowered or entirely turned off during the progress of the dance. Then,at a desired moment, the small arm of the switch 22 is moved onto thestationary contact 23, for example. Immediately circuits are closedthrough all of the white lights 13 and the dancers stockings and shoesare brilliantly illuminated. The lamps cannot be seen by the audiencebecause of their position within the skirt, and because of the.

fact that at least a part of the skirt is of opaque material so thattheir rays do not penetrate it. A novel and pleasant effect is thusproduced.

At any time the switch arm may be moved onto the middle contact 2 1 tocause the red lights 14 to burn instead of the white ones. In Fig. 2 thecircuits are shown thus connected. This, then, causes the dancersstockings and shoes to appear to be made of red material. In the sameway the green lights may be turned on to produce a third color effect.

By simple arrangements of circuits and switches evident to any onefamiliar with such devices, still further color effects may be produced.I have selected and shown only enough of such connections as to clearlyillustrate my invention.

This invention is especially designed for use on a theatrical stage, andit is to be understood that a number of persons similarly equipped maydance together, and that they may manipulate the switches to produceeither the same or unlike lighting effects and a plurality of electriclamps of differentcolors within said garment.

3. A dancers garment of opaque material, a plurality of electric lampsof different colors within said garment, circuits for said lamps, andmeans for changing the connections of said circuits.

4. A dancers garment of opaque material, a plurality of electric lampsof different colors within said garment, circuits for said lamps, and amanually operated switch arranged to cause a desired one of said lampsto be lighted.

5. A dancers garment of opaque material, a plurality of series ofelectric lamps within said garment, all of the lamps in one series beingof one color, and the lamps in the different series being of differentcolors, circuits for said lamps, and a manually operated switch arrangedto cause the lamps in any desired series to be lighted.

6. The combination with a portable battery, of a dancers garment ofopaque material, an electric lamp within said garment, a circuit betweensaid lamp and the battery, and a switch for controlling said circuit.

7. The combination with a portable battery, of a dancers garment ofopaque mate rial, a plurality of electric lamps of difierent colorswithin said garment, circuits between said lamps and the battery, and amanually operated switch for controlling said circuits.

8. The combination with a portable battery, of a dancers garment of'opaque material, a plurality of series of electric lamps within saidgarment, all of the lamps in one series being of one color, and thelamps in the different series being of different colors, circuits forthe lamps, and a manually operated switch arranged to connect thebattery with the circuit of the lamps in any desired series.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALDEN L. MCMURTRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

